Car enthusiast Marcel Robertson poses in his Mazda MX5 in Houston, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle) Car culture runs deep in Houston, and the city's love for cars isn't just playing out in person. Houston Area Car Spotters, a Facebook group that has grown to over 100,000 followers within the last five years, welcomes both seasoned car enthusiasts and newcomers. Known as "bird watching but for cars," the page offers a stream of posts showcasing everything from high-end Porsches and Lamborghinis to vintage classics and unusual discoveries. "There's a lot of money in the city, so that means a variety of really special, cool cars," said Marcel Robertson, one of the group's administrators. Car enthusiast Marcel Robertson's Mazda MX5 is see in Houston, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle) The Facebook group's growth comes as more people travel on Houston's car-centric infrastructure. Jordan Phelps, an administrator for the Facebook group who continued to help monitor the page after moving out of the city, says many residents don't have easy access to public transportation and need a vehicle to get anywhere in Houston. "You have to have a car," he said. "If you don't have a car and you don't work somewhere in the city or have other transportation nearby, you're screwed." The diversity and multiculturalism of Houston help add to the variety of automobiles, creating a melting pot of vehicles. Its slab culture - customized car features born from Houston's Black community and hip-hop scene - is well-known in the city. "It's just such a cool place," Phelps said. "The car culture is so unique." For the love of cars The Facebook group was established when the COVID-19 pandemic struck the nation, resulting in shutdowns in cities such as Houston. Houston resident Cedric McCall Jr. had been taking photos of interesting cars and posting them consistently in the group. He said the original owner of Houston Area Car Spotters reached out to him to make him a moderator and administrator. "He was like, ‘Well, you do this more than I do. You're out there more than I am,'" McCall said. Not too long after, Phelps created a similar Facebook group called Houston Car Spotters. He moved to the area a couple of years prior and was a part of a different car spotters group in another state. However, he discovered there was already a Houston Area Car Spotters account. Car enthusiast Marcel Robertson identifies his favorite post, a Porsche 917, as he discusses his administration role in the Facebook discussion group, Houston Area Car Spotters, in Houston, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle) "I shut my page down and told everybody to come over to the page that they had started, and essentially just merged them," Phelps said. Robertson joined the Facebook page soon after he moved from Austin to Houston. Since then, about 3,000 to 5,000 new users join the Facebook group each month, thanks to the popularity of cars in Houston and the efforts of administrators and moderators who remove bots and fake accounts. A lifelong obsession Like many car enthusiasts, the three administrators of the Facebook group saw an opportunity to share their love for cars through the power of a digital platform. However, their admiration had come long before they went online. Phelps, a truck driver, recalled growing up in another state with his father working at an auto pawn shop. His father was always into cars and had a 1969 El Camino. "When we were kids, he would take us in (the car) through the hills," he said. His love of cars grew after the first Fast and the Furious movie was released in 2001. Phelps subscribed to Car and Driver Magazine, Super Street Magazine, Import Tuner Magazine and duPont Registry. He worked on cars and modified them as a hobby. McCall, who works in the insurance industry, was introduced to cars through his family as a kid. His uncle had a fourth-generation Chevrolet Corvette. Cedric McCall Jr.'sVolkswagen GTI at a local gas station in Houston. (Cedric McCall Jr/File Photo) "I want to say ‘97 is when (my love of cars) was cemented, and I've been into cars ever since," he said. Even as a baby, Robertson played with Hot Wheels and then grew up to work in the automotive field. "Ever since then, it's been cars, cars, cars," he said. From Ferraris to a Wienermobile The group's members post photos of odd, creative, luxurious and popular models. Not only do they see these cars in Houston, but also in the suburbs and surrounding counties. Art cars make their way down Dallas Street during the annual Art Car Parade in downtown Houston, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle) "We're so spoiled as a city here," Robertson said. McCall agreed. "There are a lot of people here who have a giant car collection with cars that you normally don't see in real life, unless you're at a special event. We see there are a couple of people who own rare cars, and they just come out and just be like normal people." Phelps said he has seen someone locate a Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale, one of the two models ever built, in the Facebook group. He has also seen photos of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Hunter Brvenik, 10, poses with his brothers Joseph, 12, and Wyatt, 6, (left-right) in front of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile on display at the Walmart Supercenter, 26824 FM 1093, Richmond, TX on August 29, 2018. (Craig Moseley/Staff photographer) Robertson's favorite car that he's seen so far was a Porsche 917 on the back of a truck on Loop 610. McCall recalled a photo of a Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, a popular sports coupe among enthusiasts. Houstonians also take photos of the unique vehicles seen at Houston's Art Car Parade, which sometimes are driven around town, Phelps said. A community of car enthusiasts Houston Area Car Spotters created a sense of community for everyone who shares a passion for cars. "We really want to be a very inclusive space where if you see something cool, just post," Robertson said. Informally, the group meets at Catalina Coffee Shop in Houston just to sit, chill and network with other car enthusiasts. Robertson met with a Houston Chronicle reporter in his Mazda MX5 Miata at the cafe. "Majority of the friends that I've made over the course of the years since I've been down here are through car groups and events," McCall said. Phelps emphasized that the group's focus is to share their love of cars. On the Facebook page, he and the other moderators try to ensure a healthy environment for everyone online. They do the same in person, making sure that everyone is respectful at their meet-ups. "If you're going to come and be calm, then you're welcome," he said. "But if you're going to come and rev up your motor, do burnouts and speed, then you're not welcome." Related Reading SubscribeThere’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
